The most important thing – the right tree
The simplest way to start is to buy boletus mushroom mycelium for the garden. However, success depends more on the place where it will be planted than on the mycelium itself.
Boletus are mycorrhizal fungi. Simply put, they cannot grow properly without a connection to the roots of a living tree. Therefore, the best chances to find them are under pines, spruces, oaks, or beeches.
It is best to choose a place that is not baked by the sun all day and where the soil does not dry out too quickly.
Mycelium should not be placed right next to the trunk. A more suitable place is about 0.5–2 meters away from the tree, where there are many fine roots.
Several holes about 10–15 centimeters deep are dug in the soil, the mycelium is placed in them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, covered with soil, and watered well.
Later, the most important thing is to ensure that the soil does not dry out completely, especially if it does not rain for a long time.
You may have to wait three years for boletus
Here begins the hardest part – waiting.
The mycelium must first establish itself in the soil and form a connection with the tree roots. Only then can fruiting bodies begin to form – in other words, the mushrooms we collect.
The first boletus usually appear after one to three years. Under very favorable conditions, they may appear earlier, but there is no guarantee.
Even if everything is done correctly, mushrooms may not necessarily grow. This depends on precipitation, air temperature, soil moisture and composition, and the condition of the tree with which the fungus forms mycorrhiza.
If the mycelium successfully takes root, the boletus grown in the garden will not differ in appearance or taste from those we pick in the forest.
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Want faster? Choose oyster mushrooms
If you don’t want to wait several years for boletus, there are simpler options.
One of the easiest mushrooms to grow at home or in the garden is the oyster mushroom. Unlike boletus, they do not need living tree roots.
Oyster mushrooms can be grown on straw, wood, or special substrate blocks that are already covered with mycelium. You just need to ensure sufficient moisture and suitable conditions.
Under favorable conditions, the first mushrooms can appear after just a few weeks.
Oyster mushrooms have a mild, slightly meaty flavor, so they are suitable for frying, stewing, adding to soups, or using as a meat substitute in various dishes.
Shiitake is best grown on logs
You can also try growing shiitake, or edible tooth mushrooms, in the garden.
They are usually grown on logs of deciduous trees. Holes are drilled into the wood, into which special mycelium-covered dowels are inserted. Then the logs are kept in a shady and moist place.
It may take quite some time for the mycelium to spread through the wood, but later the mushrooms can yield multiple times.
Shiitake has a stronger flavor than button mushrooms. They are especially suitable for broths, sauces, stews, pasta dishes, and Asian cuisine.
You don’t even need a garden for button mushrooms
It is even easier to grow button mushrooms. They require specially prepared compost and can be grown in boxes, basements, or other places where temperature and humidity remain fairly stable.
Meanwhile, things are much more complicated with regular forest mushrooms. Bay boletes, slippery jacks, and other mycorrhizal fungi also depend on certain tree roots, so their cultivation results are not easily predictable.
However, if you have pine, spruce, or oak growing in your garden, it is worth trying. Just don’t expect that after planting the mycelium in autumn, you will be picking mushrooms the next season – boletus require patience.
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